The present invention relates to a connector including locking pieces that lock at least one terminal fitting of a wire within cavities in the connector housing, and a retainer to engage the locking pieces to provide a double lock.
As an example of this type of conventional connector, a connector described in Japanese Patent Publication (Unexamined) Show No. 61-90174 is shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16. A connector housing 1 installed in the connector is equipped with lances 4 locking terminal fittings 3 in cavities 2. Bending cavities 4A of the lances 4 open to a retainer insertion part 5 formed on a side face of the connector housing 1. Further, a retainer 6 includes a plurality of regulating pieces 6B which extend in a horizontal direction from a vertical plate 6A. When the retainer 6 is installed by sliding from the side direction of the connector housing 1, the regulating pieces 6B advance into the bending cavities 4A to regulate the bending deformations of the respective lances 4, and therefore the terminal fittings 3 are double hooked within the cavities 2.
The above-mentioned conventional connector can be fitted with an opposite connector even though the retainer 6 is not installed. Accordingly, there has been a problem that the connector connected in a condition in which the retainer 6 is not installed is transferred to subsequent processes.
The present invention has been provided to overcome the problems of the prior art noted above, and an object is to provide a connector that prevents connection of the connector in a condition in which the retainer is not installed, and then transferred to subsequent processes.
The connector according to one aspect of the present invention is a connector that double hooks terminal fittings in a connector housing by sliding a retainer from the side for installation into the connector housing which stores the terminal fittings. The connector has a construction in which pins that protrude from an opposite connector in a fitting direction advance in a receiving part opened in front of the connector housing when the connector housing is fitted in the opposite connector.
The connector housing is provided with a slider which hooks at a regulating position to regulate the advance of the pins into the receiving part, and which slides from the regulating position in a direction transversing the receiving part and moves to a permission position permitting the advance of the pins into the receiving part. A retainer is provided that includes a slider contact part which is in contact with the slider in a process of being installed into the connector housing and moves the slider to the permission position.
In another aspect of the present invention, the inside of the receiving part is provided with a pair of fitting-detection terminals in a contact condition, and the pins of the opposite connector are formed by an insulation member and are configured to fit between the contact faces of both fitting-detection terminals when the connector housing and the opposite connector come to be in a regular fitting condition.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a rear end wall which engages and leaves from a side wall of the connector housing is provided on the rear end of the retainer in the sliding direction. Side wall holes communicating with a slider storing part are formed on the part of the connector housing confronting the rear end wall and a slider contact part protrudes from the rear end wall and is configured to advance into the side wall holes of the connector housing.
In the connector according to another aspect of the present invention, in a condition in which the retainer is not installed, the slider installed on the connector housing hooks at the regulating position, interferes with the pins provided in the opposite connector, and the connection of both connectors is impossible. Whereas when the retainer is installed, the slider is pushed by the slider contact part provided on the retainer and moves from the regulating position to the permission position, where the slider does not interfere with the pins, and the connection of both connectors is permitted. Thus, connection of both connectors in a condition in which the retainer is not installed, and transferred to subsequent processes, is prevented.
Furthermore, when both connectors are in a regular fitting condition, the pins provided in the opposite connector enter between the contact faces of both fitting-detection terminals, such that both fitting-detection terminals are switched from a contact condition to a non-contact condition. Therefore it can be detected that both connectors were properly fitted together.
Additionally, in another aspect of the present invention, when the retainer is installed on the connector housing, the slider contact part that protrudes from the rear end wall of the retainer advances into the slider storing part and moves the slider to the permission position.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a connector assembly is provided that includes a first connector connectable to a second connector. The first connector includes at least one outwardly protruding pin, and the second connector includes a housing main body that houses at least one terminal fitting. A retainer is slidably mountable on the housing main body to retain the at least one terminal fitting to a stored position, and a pin insertion prevention member if provided that prevents insertion of the at least one protruding pin of the first connector in the event that the retainer is not mounted on the housing main body prior to connection of the first and second connectors. Furthermore, the pin insertion prevention member may include a slider slidably mounted in a recess in a front face of the housing main body.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, the slider may include at least one opening, and in an insertion preventing position of the slider, the at least one opening is offset from an insertion path of the at least one pin, and in an insertion permitting position of the pin, the at least one opening is aligned with the insertion path of the at least one pin.
Moreover, the retainer may include a protrusion formed thereon, with the protrusion being engageable with the slider upon mounting of the retainer on the housing on the housing main body. Thus, when the retainer is mounted on the housing main body to retain the at least one terminal fitting in the stored position, the protrusion engages and automatically shifts the slider from the insertion preventing position to the insertion permitting position.
Furthermore, in another aspect of the present invention, the housing main body may include at least two adjacent cavities that receive a respective one of a pair of terminal fittings, and at least one receiving part is positioned adjacent the at least two cavities. A short circuit terminal is insertable within the receiving part and connectable with the pair of terminal fittings, and the pin of the first connector is receivable within the receiving part and engageable with the short circuit terminal to disconnect the short circuit terminal from the pair of terminal fittings.
Additionally, the pair of terminal fittings may be configured to provide a signal indicating an uninstalled condition of the retainer when the pair of terminals is contacted by the short circuit terminal, and to provide a signal indicating an installed condition of the pair of terminals when not contacted by the short circuit terminal.
According to other aspects of the present invention, the second connector may further include an outer housing that slidably receives the housing main body and the retainer. Additionally, the outer housing may be provided with a pivotable lever, the lever including at least one cam groove, and the first connector may be provided with at least one cam pin receivable within the at least one cam groove, whereby rotation of the pivotable lever, when the cam pin is received within the cam groove, causes movement of the first connector toward engagement with the second connector. Furthermore, the slider may be provided with an elastically deflectable hooking piece, and the recess in the housing main body may include first and second hooking grooves. Accordingly, the hooking piece may be engageable with the first hooking groove to temporarily retain the slider in the insertion preventing position, and the hooking piece may be engageable with the second hooking groove to retain the slider in the insertion permitting position.